A former mountain guide dragged a woman along a car park with his car door after being caught drink-driving, a court heard.

Jonathan Vickery, 44, of Northumberland Street, Norwich, received a 12-week prison suspended for one year as well as a 28-month driving ban at Norwich Magistrates' Court on November 12 for his offences.

He admitted driving his Ford Titanium car while more than three times over the drink drive limit along Heigham Street, Norwich, on September 15 at 1.30pm which ended up with him crashing into a car. There were no serious injuries.

After being tested by the police Vickery had 102 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Vickery also admitted common assault after attempting to drive from the Flooring Express car park on Heigham Street while a woman, who was in the car that he hit, attempted to stop him leaving by standing between the car door and vehicle.

The court heard that Vickery reversed for two car lengths in a state of panic which knocked over the woman and caused bruising to her leg and grazing to other parts of her body.

Prosecuting, Robyn Khan said the partner of the woman who was dragged along shouted to the defendant to stop for fear he would run over her leg.

Miss Khan said before the crash on Heigham Street, the partner of the woman who was injured, said: "Oh God. That car is not going to stop."

After the two vehicles moved to the Flooring Express car park to exchange details that was when the victim smelled alcohol on Vickery's breath, according to Miss Khan.

Mitigating, Ryan Creek said: "He (Vickery) didn't deliberately do this. He panicked. He knows that it was a reckless act."

Mr Creek said that Vickery was not aware he was dragging the woman along until he heard the shouting.

He also added that Vickery, who worked as a mountain guide from 2006-2019, had been shot at in 1994 and stabbed in a mugging incident in 1995, all of which contributed to his mental health problems.

"He used alcohol as a coping mechanism," Mr Creek said.

The court heard how the 44-year-old had drunk four bottles of wine the day before and stopped drinking at 2am on September 15.

Vickery has abstained from alcohol since October 1, after suffering a seizure and undergoing detox, and has started voluntary work.

Chairman of the bench, Paul Allen said he gave a suspended sentence because the injuries to the woman could have been more serious.

Vickery was also fined £122 and ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the victim and complete a rehabilitation programme.